ATP Selects Kiewit Austin Partnership for OMF Project
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Courtesy of ATP
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Transit Partnership selected Kiewit Austin Partnership (KAP) as the design-build contractor for the Operations and Maintenance Facility.
The joint venture is between Kiewit Building Group Inc. and Austin Commercial, according to the release from ATP. KAP was selected after a one-year competitive procurement process based on its experience, qualifications, technical approach, and design. Austin Commercial is a local firm that has experience with projects such as Q2 Stadium and Circuit of the Americas. The collaborative efforts of this joint venture will allow each to bring its “international expertise and local knowledge” to this project. With this selection, the ATP can begin advancing the design, permitting, and site preparations for future construction.
The Operations and Maintenance Facility will support daily operations for the Austin Light Rail system. KAP will lead the design for the facility. Once completed, it will be used to store, service, and dispatch light rail vehicles for the system. It is here where operators, staff, and maintenance crews will work to keep the system operational. Around 10 subcontractors make up the selected team for the design phase of the work, and it is expected that the project will support thousands of jobs during design and construction. Once approved by the Board, KAP will work on advancing designs and completing field investigations.
“This is another major step forward, and we now have the full construction team that will deliver Austin’s light rail system,” ATP CEO Greg Canally said. “The Operations and Maintenance Facility is integral to the success of the system—it’s where trains are maintained, cleaned and prepared for service each day. By bringing together a world-class construction partner with deep local experience, we are setting this project up for long-term success while creating jobs and economic opportunity across Central Texas.”
“Kiewit brings extensive experience delivering complex transit infrastructure and design-build projects across North America,” Mike Johnson, executive vice president of Kiewit Building Group Inc., said. “We’re proud to support this important investment in Austin’s mobility and deliver a high-quality project that will serve the community for years to come.”
“Austin Commercial is pleased to serve the City of Austin and ATP as part of the Kiewit Austin Partnership,” Jack Archer, Austin Commercial senior vice president for Central Texas, said. “Having lived and worked in Austin for more than 40 years, we’re committed to delivering a project that serves this community with excellence.”
“ATP continues to deliver this major investment with an eye on how we can learn from and improve on other mega projects,” ATP Board Chair Veronica Castro de Barrera, said. “As with the previous solicitation, ATP involved the industry early to encourage competition and structured the process to foster partnerships between national firms and local businesses. Looking ahead, awarding the light rail vehicle contract will be another key step and we remain laser focused on delivering a system that serves Austin for generations.”
